Car insurance deductible: how does it work?

Verified 14 April 2025 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

If your vehicle is involved in a claim, your insurance will not always cover all damages. The part of the costs remaining to you after the insurance is paid is called the frankness. The application of a deductible depends on the conditions defined in your insurance contract (amount, situation in which it is due,...). There are several types of deductibles, which vary according to the type of claim and the guarantees subscribed.

The information is different for a typical disaster and a natural disaster, because in the latter case the law (not just the contract) sets the rules for compensation and the deductible.

General case

Depending on the contract, the franchise may be relative or absolute.

The relative deductible determines whether the insurer will intervene based on the amount of the damage.

If the amount of the repairs is less than or equal to the deductible, you will not be compensated.

If the amount of the repairs is higher than the deductible, you will be fully compensated.

Example :

If the deductible is €150 :

  • For a disaster of €100No, you won't get anything,
  • For a disaster of €200, you will be reimbursed in full.

Absolute candor is systematically deducted of the amount compensated irrespective of the cost of the repairs.

If the amount of the repairs is less than or equal to the deductible, you will not receive any compensation.

If the amount of the repairs exceeds the deductible, you will receive the difference between the amount of the claim and the deductible.

Example :

If the deductible is €150 :

  • For a disaster is €100No, you won't get anything.
  • For a disaster of €200, you will only receive the difference, that is, the insurer will pay you €50.

The amount of the deductible can be determined in several ways:

  • Fixed Amount: for example €150, defined in the contract
  • Percentage of damage amount: for example 10% repairs
  • A combination of a fixed amount and a percentage, for example 10% the amount of compensation, with a maximum of €300.

Natural disaster

The deductible is the sum that remains payable by the insured after compensation by the insurance.

The amount varies according to the nature of the claim. In the event of a natural disaster, the deductible is fixed by law. It cannot be negotiated with the insurer.

The applicable duty-free allowance for a land motor vehicle is €380.

In case of , the deductible shall be increased to €1,520.

Example: If a prolonged drought causes the ground to collapse under a parking lot, causing cracks and deformations on parked vehicles, repairs will be subject to a €1,520 instead of €380.

In the case of a vehicle for professional use, the deductible applied shall be that indicated in the contract, if this is greater than €380.

If your insurance contract does not include a natural disaster guarantee, you will not be compensated for the damage suffered. This is often the case with third party contracts which do not cover this guarantee.

Unlike a typical disaster, compensation following a natural disaster follows a specific procedure:

  1. The event must be recognized by ministerial order
  2. From this recognition, you have 30 days to declare your claim
  3. Once the complete claim is received, the insurer must pay you a compensation provision within 21 days
  4. The full payment of the compensation must be made within a maximum period of 3 months.

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